@ufguy73 I stream both Tidal and Qobuz. My current DAC does not decode the second MQA ’unfold.’
I listen, daily, to a number of MQA tracks where Roon performs the first unfold... HOWEVER, I AM NOT picky in terms of preferring MQA coded over non-MQA files in Tidal OR where Tidal offers MQA and a higher resolution via the first unfold over a "lower resolution" file via Qobuz.
My answer, at the simplest level: nice to have but far from necessary. That, again, is from a daily listening perspective.
It is a total non-factor in terms of component choice as there are far more important considerations (for me).
This may serve as an analogy, though not a perfect one:
I’m car shopping. For me, it would be akin to rejecting a choice in a car because I’m looking for a specific tread pattern and that car’s stock tires don’t offer it.
I listen, daily, to a number of MQA tracks where Roon performs the first unfold... HOWEVER, I AM NOT picky in terms of preferring MQA coded over non-MQA files in Tidal OR where Tidal offers MQA and a higher resolution via the first unfold over a "lower resolution" file via Qobuz.
My answer, at the simplest level: nice to have but far from necessary. That, again, is from a daily listening perspective.
It is a total non-factor in terms of component choice as there are far more important considerations (for me).
This may serve as an analogy, though not a perfect one:
I’m car shopping. For me, it would be akin to rejecting a choice in a car because I’m looking for a specific tread pattern and that car’s stock tires don’t offer it.